‎The cash-strapped Ontario government is spending $7.2 million in community recreation programs for everyone from kids to seniors because it’s a “no-brainer,” says the sports minister.

“Investing in physical activity at any age saves taxpayers’ dollars because there’s less people relying on the health care system and it keeps young people away from possible problems,” Tourism, Culture and Sport Minister Michael Coteau said Friday.

“So I think that in the long run, it’s a great investment and it has an economic return to the province,” he said at Scadding Court Community Centre on Dundas Street West.

“If a young person believes in physical activity and buys into it as a young age, it becomes a lifetime quality. People who enjoy basketball at 14 or 15 are playing basketball at 30 and 40. It’s one of those no-brainers where we all agree that it is a good thing for the community.”

Scadding Court executive director Kevin Lee said his community centre received a $49,000 provincial grant, which helps them serve about 600 kids year round doing everything from swimming to playing “octopus” in the gym.

“If you invest now in recreation for young people that’s going to prevent further heath care costs to the system,” he said.

In all, 116 projects around Ontario received the grants despite the provincial treasury’s $12.5-billion budget deficit.

“We look obviously to get an equitable distribution among regions, with programs geared towards seniors, programs for those low-income areas that are remote that may not have programs available,” said Coteau.

“We are just finding to find that balance all across the system. We also look at organizations that have not been able to develop these programs in the past,” he said.

“I know we received hundreds of applications, but we only have $7.2 million so that’s as many programs as we can support.”

Money is distributed through the Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund and goes toward initiatives as disparate as JiggiJump at the Ontario Science Centre to the Toronto Inner-City Rugby Foundation Mini and Girls Rugby Project.

Overall, the government estimates that 350,000 people benefit from the various programs.

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